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How many times could you stand up from a chair and sit down again, without using your hands, in 30 seconds? The answer may indicate your ability to maintain independence in later life.
The 30-second sit-to-stand test, as it’s known, first appeared in a 1999 study by California State University researchers Roberta E. Rikli and C. Jessie Jones.
The test formed a central component of the Fullerton Functional Fitness Test battery the pair developed to predict mobility, fall risk and independence in later life.
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Nearly three decades later, it’s still frequently used by physical therapists to assess fall risk, including as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) STEADI framework (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries).
“Preventing or delaying the onset of physical frailty is an increasingly important goal because more individuals are living well into their 8th and 9th decades,” the study’s authors noted at the turn of the century.
In 2013, Rikli and Jones published benchmarks for the 30-second sit-to-stand test for older adults to predict the capacity needed to maintain physical independence into later life.
Set by age group and gender, you can use these parameters to assess your own mobility and lower-body strength.
Here’s how to do it, followed by the benchmarks for men and women aged between 60 and 94, and finally guidance on how you can start to improve your score.
How to perform the 30-second sit-to-stand test
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- Place a sturdy chair against a wall—ideally one with a seat approximately 17 inches off the ground.
- Sit with your feet flat on the floor and arms across your chest.
- Shift your weight forward as you press through the floor to stand fully upright, with your knees extended.
- Lower under control to seated—again without using your arms for assistance.
- That’s one rep. Complete as many reps as you can in 30 seconds.
Average 30-second sit-to-stand scores by age and gender
|
Age |
Women |
Men |
|---|---|---|
|
60-64 |
12-17 reps |
14-19 reps |
|
65-69 |
11-16 reps |
12-18 reps |
|
70-74 |
10-15 reps |
12-17 reps |
|
75-79 |
10-15 reps |
11-17 reps |
|
80-84 |
9-14 reps |
10-15 reps |
|
85-89 |
8-13 reps |
8-14 reps |
|
90-94 |
4-11 reps |
7-12 reps |
While a handy reference point, it’s worth noting that you can improve your mobility and strength at any age, and becoming proficient in this one exercise isn’t a guaranteed ticket for a long, healthy life.
The average scores also don’t take into account your medical history, such as if you’ve recently undergone surgery or sustained an injury.
And don’t worry if you don’t meet the average range—it’s not an exercise in establishing who is in peak physical shape. “Most importantly,” the authors noted, “the standards can be used in planning interventions that target specific areas of weakness, thus reducing risk for premature loss of mobility and independence.”
How to improve your score
One of the most effective ways to improve your score in the 30-second sit-to-stand test—and therefore reduce your fall risk—is to regularly practice the sit-to-stand exercise.
It’s a low-risk way to develop lower-body strength and mobility, replicating a common movement pattern akin to a bodyweight squat.
A 2019 study published in Experimental Gerontology also found that repeated sit-to-stand exercises performed three times a week for 12 weeks improved muscle strength in physically frail adults, making this action feel more achievable.
Fourteen men and women aged 75 to 88 were involved in the study, performing 48 reps per session.
The study authors noted: “For physically frail elders, a short-term conditioning program consisting of repeated sit-to-stand exercise is effective in increasing knee extensor strength and reducing the muscular effort required for lowering and raising the body.”
